Finance
In a new initiative to promote female drivers in public transportation, the Odisha government is preparing to launch a special bus service called Subhadra Bus in Bhubaneswar.
The bus is solely for female passengers and will be operated by female drivers.
In the first phase, 20 female drivers will leave for Pune on Saturday to receive specific training in running electric buses. Women drivers with valid Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) licences have been selected for further professional training in Pune. The selected trainees will fly to Pune today. Before electric buses begin operation in Bhubaneswar, the women will receive rigorous training in operating them safely and efficiently.
The female drivers will attend a 14-day advanced training program in Pune focusing on electric bus operations. As part of the training, they will get hands-on practice driving EV buses in Pune’s traffic. The trainees are slated to return on February 17, 2026.
Initially, trained drivers will drive small or mini EV buses for the Ama Bus service. They will begin by driving 9-metre buses with a seating capacity of 12 passengers, and after three months, they will progress to 30-seat buses.
